Mark Empey
@memps2.bsky.social
Early Modernist to the bitter end #Bookhistory Female Book Owners; Women Writers; British & Irish historical writing; early Stuart peripheral governments
Forthcoming book: Sir James Ware: Royalism, History & Antiquarianism (Boydell)
Coined #HerBook
Forthcoming book: Sir James Ware: Royalism, History & Antiquarianism (Boydell)
Coined #HerBook
The standing remains of the largely #16thc castle of Dunluce #Antrim. Home to the MacDonnells from the 1550s it boasts some of the most spectacular scenes in Ireland. Despite the Baltic temperatures 🥶 this was one day well spent #earlymodern
November 13, 2025 at 7:36 PM
The standing remains of the largely #16thc castle of Dunluce #Antrim. Home to the MacDonnells from the 1550s it boasts some of the most spectacular scenes in Ireland. Despite the Baltic temperatures 🥶 this was one day well spent #earlymodern
It appears everybody is 'ill satisfied' in January 1637, at least in the eyes of the second viscount Conway anyway. Something tells me he's not entirely the life of the party #earlymodern
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 PM
It appears everybody is 'ill satisfied' in January 1637, at least in the eyes of the second viscount Conway anyway. Something tells me he's not entirely the life of the party #earlymodern
In good news (well, for a small minority) I’ve been given permission to return to Bluesky.
In better news for #earlymodern folk, it’s a timely return as I’ve got proofs for my latest #bookhistory work on female book ownership 1500-1700 #HerBook
In better news for #earlymodern folk, it’s a timely return as I’ve got proofs for my latest #bookhistory work on female book ownership 1500-1700 #HerBook
October 27, 2025 at 12:54 PM
In good news (well, for a small minority) I’ve been given permission to return to Bluesky.
In better news for #earlymodern folk, it’s a timely return as I’ve got proofs for my latest #bookhistory work on female book ownership 1500-1700 #HerBook
In better news for #earlymodern folk, it’s a timely return as I’ve got proofs for my latest #bookhistory work on female book ownership 1500-1700 #HerBook
Always fascinated by #17thc historians and how they structured and took notes of their research.
Here's an example of the Irish historian, Sir James Ware, trawling through the Register of St Werburgh's in #Chester and listing archdeacons who served in Irish dioceses in the #medieval period
Here's an example of the Irish historian, Sir James Ware, trawling through the Register of St Werburgh's in #Chester and listing archdeacons who served in Irish dioceses in the #medieval period
August 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
A manuscript copy of Edmund Campion’s #16thc ‘Two bokes of the Histories of Ireland’. The many names on the title page provide a fascinating insight into its popularity and how widely circulated Campion’s work was before Sir James Ware published it in 1633 #bookhistory
August 10, 2025 at 11:48 AM
A manuscript copy of Edmund Campion’s #16thc ‘Two bokes of the Histories of Ireland’. The many names on the title page provide a fascinating insight into its popularity and how widely circulated Campion’s work was before Sir James Ware published it in 1633 #bookhistory
Nicely corrected defective page of Sir James Ware's De Praesulibus Lageniae (Dublin, 1628) in, what appears to be, #17thc hand #bookhistory
June 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Nicely corrected defective page of Sir James Ware's De Praesulibus Lageniae (Dublin, 1628) in, what appears to be, #17thc hand #bookhistory
28 April 1630: Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, learns from his agent in London #otd that William Laud was appointed chancellor of University of Oxford:
"I hear that by the university the election is questioned, which (if is should be) more like to breed some heart burning in the court."
"I hear that by the university the election is questioned, which (if is should be) more like to breed some heart burning in the court."
April 28, 2025 at 8:03 AM
28 April 1630: Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, learns from his agent in London #otd that William Laud was appointed chancellor of University of Oxford:
"I hear that by the university the election is questioned, which (if is should be) more like to breed some heart burning in the court."
"I hear that by the university the election is questioned, which (if is should be) more like to breed some heart burning in the court."
Well, Istanbul, it’s been a brilliant week. A bit shaky in the middle but what a brilliant place to visit
April 25, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Well, Istanbul, it’s been a brilliant week. A bit shaky in the middle but what a brilliant place to visit
Such a pleasure to be at last night’s launch of the Letterbook of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork (1629-34) edited by @bridmcgrath.bsky.social, Dave Edwards and the late Aidan Clarke. As always beautifully produced by the amazing Irish Manuscripts Commission
April 11, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Such a pleasure to be at last night’s launch of the Letterbook of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork (1629-34) edited by @bridmcgrath.bsky.social, Dave Edwards and the late Aidan Clarke. As always beautifully produced by the amazing Irish Manuscripts Commission
The Confession of #StPatrick, transcribed by the renowned #earlymodern scholar Archbishop James Ussher for his former student, Sir James Ware. Ware published this transcript with a critical analysis of all works allegedly attributed to Patrick in 1656 - the same year of Ussher's death #bookhistory
March 17, 2025 at 9:35 AM
The Confession of #StPatrick, transcribed by the renowned #earlymodern scholar Archbishop James Ussher for his former student, Sir James Ware. Ware published this transcript with a critical analysis of all works allegedly attributed to Patrick in 1656 - the same year of Ussher's death #bookhistory
Given it's St Patrick's Day, your timely reminder that it was the historian, Sir James Ware (1594-1666), who was the first to print St Patrick's Confession in his work: S. Patricio, qui Hibernos ad fidem Christi convertit, adscripta opuscula (London, 1656) (image EEBO)
March 17, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Given it's St Patrick's Day, your timely reminder that it was the historian, Sir James Ware (1594-1666), who was the first to print St Patrick's Confession in his work: S. Patricio, qui Hibernos ad fidem Christi convertit, adscripta opuscula (London, 1656) (image EEBO)
Delighted and excited to hear that my #bookhistory chapter, which discusses the important role the Irish Protestant community played in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts in #17thc, is now published. And look at that cover 🤩
March 1, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Delighted and excited to hear that my #bookhistory chapter, which discusses the important role the Irish Protestant community played in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts in #17thc, is now published. And look at that cover 🤩
So many readers! The hugely popular #manuscript copy of Edmund Campion’s Historie of Ireland (1571). It was used as a source in Holinshed’s The historie of Irelande (1577), but was given its rightful place in Irish scholarship by Sir James Ware who published it (with Hamner & Spenser) in 1633
February 6, 2025 at 9:25 AM
So many readers! The hugely popular #manuscript copy of Edmund Campion’s Historie of Ireland (1571). It was used as a source in Holinshed’s The historie of Irelande (1577), but was given its rightful place in Irish scholarship by Sir James Ware who published it (with Hamner & Spenser) in 1633
Reading an old #herbook piece by Charles Elton on Christina of Sweden’s library. As engaging as the reference-less assessment was, my lasting impression are those eye catching artistic flourishes. Publishers should bring them back
January 22, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Reading an old #herbook piece by Charles Elton on Christina of Sweden’s library. As engaging as the reference-less assessment was, my lasting impression are those eye catching artistic flourishes. Publishers should bring them back
Earl of Cork's advice to son on his future wife: 'carry yourself towards her with all Fairness, decency and respect, till you have gained her love and heart, and made both your hearts one, always remembering that you do not marry only to please yourself, but to please your wife as well as yourself'
January 4, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Earl of Cork's advice to son on his future wife: 'carry yourself towards her with all Fairness, decency and respect, till you have gained her love and heart, and made both your hearts one, always remembering that you do not marry only to please yourself, but to please your wife as well as yourself'
The beautiful Oughterard, Co. Kildare #Ireland. Site of a monastery founded by St Bríga (not the St Bridget) in #6thc but later burned by Viking king of Dublin, Sitric.
It’s best known as the resting place of Arthur #Guinness, who founded the Guinness Brewery at St. James's Gate in 1759
It’s best known as the resting place of Arthur #Guinness, who founded the Guinness Brewery at St. James's Gate in 1759
January 2, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Lovely to get hands on my latest article.
✅ interested in treason?
✅ interested in politics of religion?
✅ interested in manipulating #17thc law?
Well I’ve got your #earlymodern needs covered!
✅ interested in treason?
✅ interested in politics of religion?
✅ interested in manipulating #17thc law?
Well I’ve got your #earlymodern needs covered!
December 17, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Lovely to get hands on my latest article.
✅ interested in treason?
✅ interested in politics of religion?
✅ interested in manipulating #17thc law?
Well I’ve got your #earlymodern needs covered!
✅ interested in treason?
✅ interested in politics of religion?
✅ interested in manipulating #17thc law?
Well I’ve got your #earlymodern needs covered!
Really interesting #bookhistory example of an #earlymodern reader’s engagement with his book. Here the owner (likely a Catholic) corrects a #15thc biographical entry and adds a missing archbishop in James Ware’s #17thc Catalogue of the Archbishops of Cashel & Tuam (1626)
December 1, 2024 at 1:51 PM
Really interesting #bookhistory example of an #earlymodern reader’s engagement with his book. Here the owner (likely a Catholic) corrects a #15thc biographical entry and adds a missing archbishop in James Ware’s #17thc Catalogue of the Archbishops of Cashel & Tuam (1626)
Proofs!
Coming your way in 2025 for the #earlymodern and #bookhistory crew.
My latest work on the role of the Irish Protestant community in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts and how this forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of the settler society in #17thc Ireland
Coming your way in 2025 for the #earlymodern and #bookhistory crew.
My latest work on the role of the Irish Protestant community in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts and how this forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of the settler society in #17thc Ireland
November 25, 2024 at 9:39 AM
Proofs!
Coming your way in 2025 for the #earlymodern and #bookhistory crew.
My latest work on the role of the Irish Protestant community in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts and how this forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of the settler society in #17thc Ireland
Coming your way in 2025 for the #earlymodern and #bookhistory crew.
My latest work on the role of the Irish Protestant community in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts and how this forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of the settler society in #17thc Ireland
You guys should visit the fabulous Boyle monument in St Patrick’s Cathedral. Plenty of acknowledgment of the female line. @clodaghtait.bsky.social has written quite a lot on this and other Boyle tombs at Youghal and Kent
October 26, 2024 at 6:05 PM
You guys should visit the fabulous Boyle monument in St Patrick’s Cathedral. Plenty of acknowledgment of the female line. @clodaghtait.bsky.social has written quite a lot on this and other Boyle tombs at Youghal and Kent
Revisions done! My latest work: Preserving the past: history, manuscripts and belonging, is one step closer to publication #earlymodern #bookhistory #c17 #skystorians
March 7, 2024 at 7:18 PM
Revisions done! My latest work: Preserving the past: history, manuscripts and belonging, is one step closer to publication #earlymodern #bookhistory #c17 #skystorians
Was delighted to be at the launch of the Oxford History of British & Irish Catholicism @molimuseum.bsky.social marking the phenomenal achievement of my influential teacher, supervisor, mentor & friend of 20 years Prof John McCafferty and the equally brilliant & fun Dr James Kelly
December 15, 2023 at 12:22 AM
Was delighted to be at the launch of the Oxford History of British & Irish Catholicism @molimuseum.bsky.social marking the phenomenal achievement of my influential teacher, supervisor, mentor & friend of 20 years Prof John McCafferty and the equally brilliant & fun Dr James Kelly
I see your portrait of the duke of Buckingham and raise you Thomas Lee, English army captain during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. Look at THOSE legs!
November 25, 2023 at 12:43 AM
I see your portrait of the duke of Buckingham and raise you Thomas Lee, English army captain during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. Look at THOSE legs!